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Teachers' Salaries in Latin America: How Much Are They (Under or Over) Paid?

Author

Listed:
  • Mizala, Alejandra

    () (University of Chile)

  • Nopo, Hugo R.

    () (GRADE)

Abstract

This paper documents the extent to which teachers are underpaid vis-à-vis workers in other professional and technical occupations in Latin America circa 2007. These labor earnings differences, attributed to observable socio-demographic and job characteristics, are assessed using a matching methodology (Ñopo, 2008). Teachers' underpayment is found to be stronger than what has been previously reported in the literature, especially among pre-school and primary teachers. Nonetheless, behind the region averages there is an important cross-country heterogeneity. Teachers' underpayment is more pronounced among males, older workers, household heads, part-timers, formal workers, those who work in the private sector, and (mostly) among those with complete tertiary education. Two amenities of the teaching profession, namely the longer job tenure and the flexible job schedules within the year, are also explored. Even after accounting for the possible compensating differentials of these two amenities, teachers' underpayment vis-à-vis that of other professional and technicians prevail.

Suggested Citation

  • Mizala, Alejandra & Nopo, Hugo R., 2011. "Teachers' Salaries in Latin America: How Much Are They (Under or Over) Paid?," IZA Discussion Papers 5947, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5947
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Asadullah, Mohammad Niaz, 2006. "Pay differences between teachers and other occupations: Some empirical evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 1044-1065, December.
    2. Dale Ballou & Michael Podgursky, 1995. "Recruiting Smarter Teachers," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 30(2), pages 326-338.
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Teachers’ Salaries in Latin America: How Much Are They (Under or Over) Paid?
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2011-09-21 19:03:13
    2. Teachers’ Salaries in Latin America: How Much Are They (Under or Over) Paid?
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2011-09-21 19:03:13
    3. Y tú, ¿quieres que tus hijos sean docentes?
      by Hugo Ñopo in La educación de calidad es posible on 2014-02-15 01:40:18
    4. Y tú, ¿quieres que tus hijos sean docentes?
      by Hugo Ñopo in Foco Económico on 2014-02-18 03:00:15

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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara Bruns & Javier Luque, 2014. "Great Teachers : How to Raise Student Learning in Latin America and the Caribbean--Overview," World Bank Other Operational Studies 19507, The World Bank.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    wage differentials; professional labor markets; Latin America;

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations
    • J8 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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